Iris
by Favo de Mel
Summary: 'Can I kiss you?...' Just once...' 'I would rather kiss you this once and never again, than never have known the joy of your kiss...' Sequel to The Heart's Reasons


A/N: Uh… I've just realized that in all of my stories, I've never written a disclaimer, so here it is: I don't own the 'Harry Potter verse', no matter how much I wish I did. It belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling, and I'm only borrowing her characters-can I keep Harry, though? ***looks hopeful***

**IRIS**

A soft blanket of drizzle nestled comfortably over London. An effervescent halo of light was circumscribed around the gently beaming moon, casting a lucid light to the damp, dripping street. As a streetlamp lazily flickered to life, the light illuminated the culminating drops which happened to pass through the flickering light, bringing each drop to life. Never had been a more peaceful night... Never more serene and lovely. The rain spattered on the stone road, and the gentle trickling of what seemed like silver touched every ear as the soft water droplets landed on each rooftop.

Opening the window to his bedroom, he sighed softly and leaned back on his bed, listening as icy raindrops fell from the clouded sky, soaking the streets of London with the tears of angels... 

_Angels... _

He opened his eyes, giving way to the tears that had slowly gathered up.

Tomorrow would be two years...

  -'Mione…

He sat up, leaning forwards to rest his arms on his legs and bury his face in his hands.

He shook his head and breathed in several times.

Grabbing a picture frame that was sitting on his night table, he slowly traced the contours of her face, and shuddered at the cold contact of the glass, so different from her warm, silky skin.  In the picture she was smiling, an arm wrapped around his waist, while he in turn had his around her shoulders.  They were both waving up at him excitedly, a Hermione's head leaned softly against his shoulder. 

He then recalled her laughter and her voice, and couldn't help but cry. 

  -Why?...,-he whispered, his voice weak and pained. 

A tear fell on the frame, and he angrily tossed it away, to bounce once on the far wall before falling to the floor and shattering into pieces.

  -Why can't I forget you? Why did you have to die? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME, DAMN IT?!?

He ran his hands feverishly through his messy black hair, the last of his strength giving, and he cried, in great, wrenching sobs that sounded like they were being torn out of him one at a time.

He stopped when he felt a warm hand on his cheek.  He looked up, and found himself mirrored in her brown, sad eyes.

  -I'm sorry...

He gave her a longing look, before slowly dropping his gaze.

 -What're you doing here?...

The sadness and weariness sang to the angel's heart, which ached for the pain that the boy had to suffer through. 

He had once promised her he would try to be happy and to keep on with his life even in her absence, but obviously, feelings overwhelmed the mind, and he loved her very much.  The realization that he would be unhappy hurt, and the white light that surrounded her dimmed slightly.

  -You're hurt...

  -And there's nothing you can do…,-he said bitterly.  

She regarded him for a moment, before slowly gathering him in her arms.  He resisted for a moment, but finally gave in.  With a pained sigh, he rested his head on her chest, not caring if she was an angel or not at the moment.  He needed her...

He needed her to hold him or he would go crazy.

  -Why, 'Mione?...,-he said softly, so softly it was barely audible.  

She was silent, and just ran her fingers through his hair for a moment.

  -Destiny...,-she answered quietly.

  -Why did it have to happen to me? To us?

  -It was my time...

He let out a strangled sob, before leaning back to look at her.

  -It's not fair... You were too young, you deserved to live...

  -Harry, I...

  -I-I, I love you, and I wanted... I wanted to marry you...,-he said with trembling lips, looking away. 

She had no answer to that.

A quiet tear cursed down the Hermione's face, clinging tentatively for a second to her chin, before it dropped through the air to land on his hand.  He looked back at her, surprised, and saw her eyes were filled with them.

_The tears of angels... The rain..._

The sight of those tears cut deep into his fragile heart, and he wanted to take that pain away, wash it away... Kiss it away.

He reached out to touch her face, but she stopped him, a pained look in her eyes.

  -Don't... Please...

He let his arms fall limply to his sides, and just looked at her, hurt.

  -I can't even touch you right...,-he said softly.  

He stood, and walked slowly to the window, turning his back to her.

Resting his hands on the window sill, he stared out into the night.   The rain had finally stopped, and the stars were now shinning brightly.

  -You've no idea how much I wish I could touch you... I mean, really touch you...

He closed his eyes and bowed his head.

  -Kiss you...

His hands tightened on the window sill.

  -Just once...

In the sky, a shooting star went by.

For a moment, everything was silent, except for his soft breathing, and then a blue light filled the room.  

  -Harry?

He opened his eyes and slowly turned around to look at her.

He gasped and almost lost his balance, for she was standing right there, as beautiful as he remembered her.  Sure, she was very beautiful as an angel, but that beauty was a pure beauty... It could only evoke him tenderness.

The thing was, she was not an angel at the moment.

As he beheld her delicate beauty, his mind went back two years, when she was still there, and used to smile at him like she was doing now.

She was wearing the same blue sundress he had once gotten her, and her hair was carefully arranged, the soft locks falling down her back. She smiled, a sweet, beautiful smile that warmed his heart and made him blush.

  -Oh, my god...

Again like sunshine she smiled, and she reached both her arms towards him.  His eyes filled, and he carefully made his way towards her, unsure if what he was seeing was real or not.  He stood in front of her, and for a moment he just looked at her, hesitant and a little apprehensive, his hands shaking at his sides... 

And then he looked into her eyes. 

They were still as deep as the sea, so clear and calm that you'd wish you could drown in them forever.  And so expressive... Her eyes were the most expressive ones he had ever known, and they were looking at him tenderly, lovingly.  At that moment he lost all apprehension, and he slowly stepped forward, taking her in his embrace and holding her gently to him, as though she were something precious that might break if he weren't careful. Sighing, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment.

  -Is this real?...,-he whispered softly in her ear.

  -As real as it can be...,-she answered, just as softly, silently thanking the heavens that had blessed her so...

She'd missed him too.  She hadn't forgotten the feeling of security and contentment she had whenever he'd held her like this.

She'd loved this wonderful, beautiful man with a fierce, firey urgency that had been sometimes frightening in its intensity.  She still did.

  -Will it last?...,-he asked again, in that same, low voice.  

She smiled, eyes still closed.

  -Not long...,-she said finally, looking up into his eyes.  

Her arms sneaked up around his neck, and he in turn held her gently by the waist.

  -Why?...

  -Because yours is the purest soul there is...

He closed his eyes and bent his head down and touched his forehead to the girl's, and they stood silently for a while, just basking in each other's company.  

  -I love you...,-she said suddenly, in that soft, sweet voice she used only for him.

Startled, Harry leaned back just a little to look down at her.  

The young woman was gazing at him silently, tear-filled eyes holding his, and again he could see right through her.  His heart exploded in a soundless nova of joy and he smiled, the first real smile in months, and caressed the side of her face lovingly.

  -I love you too...,-he said huskily, bending down to whisper in her ear.  

He pulled back to see the tears running freely, her eyes closed and a small smile in her lips, and he knew she'd needed to hear those words, just as he had.

He quietly studied the contours of her face, loving her more with each breath he took and yet knowing this moment was coming to an end.  Still, he knew what he had been granted with was very precious, and he felt utterly happy, almost complete.  Almost...

Opening her eyes, the girl raised a hand to his face and touched his cheek gently, gazing lovingly at him.

  -You don't have to be afraid to ask me anything...,-she said, surprising him yet again, and he smiled shyly, as if this were the first time for him.

  -Can... Can I kiss you?...

Her eyes slowly traced the young man's features, from his tick eye-brows, and the thin lightening bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, to his cute, upturned nose, and his entrancing lips before finally settling on his sparkling green eyes. 

  -Just once...

His expression softened, and he gently took her face in his hands, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

  -I would rather kiss you this once and never again, than never have known the joy of your kiss...****

She smiled at his words, her eyes shining with unshed tears, while he gazed at her sweetly, his heart quickening in rapture. He leaned in closer, so that he was just a few inches away from her mouth;  he stopped for a second, uncertain,  to look into her eyes, and there he found all the encouragement he needed.

They slowly let their eyelids flutter closed, and met in a long waited, sweet kiss, that made their hearts explode with joy, and cry tears of happiness.

His arms slid back around her waist, and he held her closer to himself, afraid of letting go.  Her hands in turn, rested slightly on his chest, as she raised on her tiptoes to reach him.

Second by second their lips brushed against each other's, each trying to put into that kiss all the love they felt for the other, and succeeding only in part...

When finally it ended he stepped back, still holding her in his arms, and their eyes slowly opened, looking sweetly at each other, timid smiles drawing themselves on their lips.  

  -Thank you...,-he whispered to her, running a hand through her hair.  

She closed her eyes for a second, and shook her head.

  -There's nothing to thank me for...

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

  -Yes there is...,-he said, catching her hand in his; she gave it a squeeze before letting go and stepping back.  

She smiled up at him, and mouthed 'I love you' to him; he answered in kind.

And, then, with a flash of light, she was gone.

Harry stood there for a minute, and then with a sigh, walked over to the corner of the room, where the shattered frame was resting on the floor; he bent down and picked the picture up, brushing the glass off it. 

Walking over to his bed he sat, and looked down at her smiling face.  A smile broke into his lips. 

For the first time in years, he felt complete.

*The End*

A/N: Well, this is the final chapter of a series I wrote, 'The Angel's series', that I posted at my Fictionpres account;  'The Heart's Reasons' is the first chapter, so this could be considered as a sequel to that story-it's still angsty, but less so, so I hope you guys hate me a little less for having killed Hermione before. ***winks*** 

Of course, it's based on 'City of Angels', and it's also why it's named after the Goo Goo Dolls song, Iris. I love that song.

I also borrowed the first image from a great Ranma story, 'No Other Way'; unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the author, but it's a lovely story anyway. 

Well, I hope you enjoy this! 


End file.
